APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING CHARACTERS/NUMERALS FOR COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20100259484A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zacod Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zacod Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jo, Won-Hyong
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/018 Input/output arrangements for oriental characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

An apparatus and method for inputting characters/numerals for a communication terminal provided with a touch pad is disclosed. Consonants are inputted by touching the respective blocks on the block main body, and vowels of the fixed blocks are inputted through manipulation of the block main body that moves in at least four directions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inputting characters/numerals for a communication terminal provided with a touch screen keyboard on a touch part, through which designation of coordinates or selection of characters can be performed using a finger or a tool for communications with an outside or data storage, the apparatus comprising:

a block body positioned in the touch screen keyboard for generating a manipulation signal of a stationary block in accordance with a block manipulation of a user who desires a character/numeral input or a moving manipulation in at least four directions based on a center of a user, the block body including a plurality of blocks and a plurality of closed sectors of the stationary block positioned in at least four directions, in which the block body is moved, being allocated with consonants, vowels, numerals, symbols, and function keys by languages including Hangeul, Roman characters, and Japanese;

a character storage unit storing character data by languages used in the character input apparatus;

a program memory storing an inner operating program of the communication terminal;

a code storage unit storing code data corresponding to the blocks provided on the block body and the stationary block positioned on an outside of the block body;

a block manipulation recognition unit detecting a touch manipulation state of each block provided on the block body;

a stationary block recognition unit detecting a manipulation state of the stationary block in accordance with a moving manipulation of the block body in at least four directions;

a microprocessor judging of which language a user inputs a phoneme with reference to the character data stored in the character storage unit in accordance with the operating program stored in the program memory when a touch manipulation state detection signal is inputted through the block or stationary block manipulation recognition unit, and generating and outputting a display control signal for displaying phonemes of the corresponding language inputted by the user with reference to the code data stored in the code storage unit;

a display drive unit outputting a drive control signal for displaying the character and numeral selected by the user through manipulation of the stationary block in accordance with the moving manipulation of the block body or the block on the block body, in accordance with the display control signal outputted from the microprocessor; and

a display unit displaying the character and the numeral in accordance with the drive control signal outputted from the display drive unit;

wherein the stationary block and the block body are logically implemented and are displayed on the touch part of the touch screen.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the block body is a Hangeul block body, each block provided on the block body is allocated with a consonant, and the stationary block in at least four directions, on which the block body is movable, is allocated with a vowel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, is divided into 8 closed sectors, and the vowels allocated to the closed sectors include and allocated to upper, lower, left, right, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right sectors based on a center.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein except for the vowels allocated to the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, vowels are converted into diphthongs when the stationary block is activated and divided into a plurality of closed sectors at the moment where the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the stationary block having 8 closed sectors is divided into 14 closed sectors upon activation, and in the diphthong allocated to the closed sector of the activated stationary block including the upper, lower, left, right, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right sectors based on the center, is allocated to a closed sector allocated with a closed sector allocated with is divided into two parts each allocated with a closed sector allocated with is allocated with a closed sector allocated with is divided into 3 parts each allocated with a closed sector allocated with is divided into 3 parts each allocated with a closed sector allocated with is allocated with a closed sector allocated with is divided into 2 parts each allocated with and a closed sector allocated with is allocated with .

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein in combination of Hangeul allocated to each block provided on the Hangeul block body, the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, and the activated stationary block, a consonant is outputted by touching each block provided on the block body once at short using a user'"'"'s tool or finger and then removing the tool or finger from the block;

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching each block provided on the block body, the block body is moved along the tool or finger towards the vowel allocated to the closed sector of the stationary block, and an outside of the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block and then is stopped;

and if the tool or finger is removed from the block, the consonant allocated to the corresponding block and the vowel allocated to the stationary block in the moving direction of the corresponding block body are combined and inputted, and the block body is returned to a center of the keyboard; and

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching the block body which is stopped when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block, the stop state of the block body is maintained in the closed sector of the activated stationary block which is converted when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block; and

if the block body is moved by using the tool or finger and then the tool or finger is removed from the block body, the diphthong allocated to the activated stationary block is inputted, and the block body is returned to the center of the touch screen keyboard.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the block body is a Roman character block body, each block provided on the block body is allocated with a consonant, and the stationary block in at least four directions, on which the block body is movable, is allocated with a vowel.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a secondary vowel to be combined with a vowel allocated to the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, is allocated when the stationary block is activated and divided into a plurality of closed sectors at the moment where the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each block provided on the block body is allocated with a consonant comprising ‘

B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X, Z, CH, PH, SH, and TH’ and

a vowel output direction key; and

the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, is divided into 8 closed sectors, and the vowels allocated to the closed sectors include ‘

I, O, U, E, W, A, NG and Y’

allocated to upper, lower, left, right, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right sectors based on a center.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stationary block of 8 closed sectors is divided into 40 closed sectors when the stationary block is activated, and secondary vowels allocated to the activated closed block include ‘

A, E, I, O and U’

while the closed sector allocated to upper, lower, left, right, upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right sectors is divided into 5 sectors.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein in combination of Roman character allocated to each block provided on the Roman character block body, the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, and the activated stationary block, a consonant is outputted by touching each block provided on the block body once at short using a user'"'"'s tool or finger and then removing the tool or finger from the block;

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching each block provided on the block body, the block body is moved along the tool or finger towards the vowel allocated to the closed sector of the stationary block, and an outside of the block body is in surface contact with an inside of the stationary block and then stopped; and

if the tool or finger is removed from the block, the consonant allocated to the corresponding block and the vowel allocated to the stationary block in the moving direction of the corresponding block body is combined and inputted, and the block body is returned to a center of the keyboard; and

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching the block body which is stopped when block body is in surface contact with the stationary block, the stop state of the block body is maintained in the closed sector of the activated stationary block which is converted when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block;

if the block body is moved by using the tool or finger and then the tool or finger is removed from the block body, a consonant allocated to the corresponding block, a vowel of the stationary block and the secondary vowel allocated to the activated stationary block are combined and inputted; and

in the case of a vowel output direction key allocated to the corresponding block, the vowel of the stationary block and the secondary vowel allocated to the activated stationary block are combined and inputted, and the block body is returned to the center of the touch screen keyboard.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the block body is a Japanese block body, -dan characters of each gyo of Japanese are allocated to each block provided on the block body, and characters dan, dan, dan, dan and a conversion function symbol are allocated to the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, is divided into 10 closed sectors, and the Japanese and the conversion function symbols are allocated to the closed sectors in a manner that a sonant symbol, a semi-sonant symbol, a small letter symbol, dan of each gyo, a prolonged sound symbol, dan of each gyo, dan of each gyo, dan of each gyo, and a rest symbol are allocated to upper right, upper, upper left, left, right, and lower sectors.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein if the stationary block of 10 closed sectors is activated, the upper left, upper, upper right, left, right, lower left, left and lower right closed sectors are divided into 24 closed sectors, and in the conversion function symbol allocated to the activated closed sectors, a sonant symbol, a semi-sonant symbol, and a small letter symbol are allocated to the closed sectors.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein in combination of Japanese allocated to each block provided on the Japanese block body, the stationary block in at least four directions, in which the block body is movable, and the activated stationary block, a dan of each gyo is outputted by touching each block provided on the block body once at short using a user'"'"'s tool or finger and then removing the tool or finger from the block;

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching each block provided on the block body, the block body is moved along the tool or finger towards the dan, dan, dan, dan and conversion function symbol of each gyo allocated to the closed sector of the stationary block, and an outside of the block body is in surface contact with an inside of the stationary block and then stopped; and

if the tool or finger is removed from the block, the dan, dan, dan, dan and a conversion function symbol of each gyo allocated to the corresponding block and the vowel allocated to the stationary block in the moving direction of the corresponding block body are combined and inputted, and the block body is returned to a center of the keyboard; and

in a state where the user'"'"'s tool or finger is touching the block body which is stopped when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block, the stop state of the block body is maintained in the closed sector of the activated stationary block which is converted when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block; and

if the block body is moved by using the tool or finger and then the tool or finger is removed from the block body, the dan, dan, dan, dan and a conversion function symbol of each gyo allocated to the activated stationary block are inputted, and the block body is returned to the center of the touch screen keyboard.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output of the character and the conversion key allocated to the closed sector in a diagonal direction based on a center of the stationary block recognizes the state in which both contact surfaces of the corresponding diagonal line are in a contact state even during 0.1 second, as a manipulation signal of the character or conversion key allocated to the closed sector in a diagonal direction, when the block body is in surface contact with the stationary block;

and if a finger is removed from the block body, the character allocated to the closed sector of the stationary block in the corresponding diagonal direction is outputted, and the block body is returned to a center of the touch screen keyboard.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein fortes of and using each consonant provided on the Hangeul block body are outputted by touching and of the blocks allocated to the block body using a user'"'"'s tool or finger;

large/small letter conversion of Roman characters provided on the Roman character block body and stationary body is outputted by touching the corresponding block allocated on the block body and the closed sector of the corresponding stationary block using the user'"'"'s tool or finger during a desired time; and

Chinese conversion of Japanese characters provided on the Japanese block body and stationary body is outputted by touching the corresponding block allocated on the block body and the closed sector of the corresponding stationary block using the user'"'"'s tool or finger during a desired time, removing from it, and then selecting one of corresponding Chinese characters displayed on the screen.

18. A method for inputting characters/numerals for a communication terminal, comprising:

(1) a microprocessor of the communication terminal judging whether a user selects a character mode corresponding to a language;

(2) the microprocessor judging which mode of a Hangeul input mode, Roman character input mode, and a Japanese character input mode the user selects;

(3) if the user selects the Hangeul input mode, the microprocessor detecting a manipulation signal of a stationary block in accordance with a user'"'"'s manipulation of a plurality of blocks provided on a block body or a block body moving manipulation in upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal directions, inputted from a block manipulation recognition unit and/or a stationary block manipulation recognition unit, combining a consonant and a vowel of a corresponding Hangeul and a numeral/symbol, and displaying a corresponding Hangeul and numeral/symbol on a display screen of the communication terminal;

(4) if the user selects the Roman character input mode, the microprocessor detecting a manipulation signal of a stationary block in accordance with a user'"'"'s manipulation of a plurality of blocks provided on a block body or a block body moving manipulation in upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal directions, inputted from a block manipulation recognition unit and/or a stationary block manipulation recognition unit, combining a consonant and a vowel of a corresponding Roman character and a numeral/symbol, and displaying a corresponding Roman character and numeral/symbol on a display screen of the communication terminal;

(5) if the user selects the Japanese input mode, the microprocessor detecting a manipulation signal of a stationary block in accordance with a user'"'"'s manipulation of a plurality of blocks provided on a block body or a block body moving manipulation in upper, lower, left, right, and diagonal directions, inputted from a block manipulation recognition unit and/or a stationary block manipulation recognition unit, combining hiragana, katakana, a Chinese character and a numeral/symbol, and displaying it on a display screen of the communication terminal;

(6) if a character input work through any one input mode selected among the Hangeul input mode, the Roman character input mode, and the Japanese input mode is finished, the microprocessor of the communication terminal judging whether the user selects a character storage and storing the character inputted by the user; and

(7) the microprocessor of the communication terminal judging whether the user ends the character mode, and continuing or removing the character mode.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step (3) comprises:

(3-1) if the user selects the Hangeul input mode as a result of judgment in the step (2), the microprocessor of the communication terminal maintaining a Hangeul input waiting state by changing the present mode to the Hangeul input mode, and then judging whether the corresponding user selects a menu of ‘

backspace’

, ‘

space’

, ‘

shift’

, or ‘

enter’

by moving the block body in upper, lower, left, or right direction after the user touches a menu block;

(3-2) if the corresponding user has manipulated the menu as a result of judgment in the step (3-1), the microprocessor performing the menu of ‘

backspace’

, ‘

space’

, ‘

shift’

, or ‘

enter’

selected by the user, and then repeatedly performing the step (3-1) and following steps;

(3-3) if the user has not selected the menu of ‘

backspace’

, ‘

space’

, ‘

shift’

, or ‘

enter’

as a result of judgment in the step (3-1), the microprocessor judging whether the plurality of blocks provided on the block body are manipulated by the user, and if a specified block provided on the block body is manipulated by the user, the microprocessor judging whether a specified vowel allocated to the stationary block in the respective moving directions is selected in accordance with manipulation of the block body by the user;

(3-4) if the user inputs a consonant or a vowel by performing face junction manipulation of the stationary block by moving the plurality of blocks provided on the block body or the block body in upper, lower, left, right, or diagonal direction as a result of judgment in the step (3-3), the microprocessor confirming the input of the consonant or single vowel inputted by the user based on a manipulation signal inputted from the block manipulation recognition unit and/or stationary block manipulation recognition unit;

(3-5) if a specified vowel allocated to the stationary block in the respective moving directions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of judgment in the step (3-4), the microprocessor judging whether a specified block to which the consonant is allocated is re-selected by the user;

(3-6) if the specified block to which the consonant is allocated is re-selected as a result of judgment in the step (3-5), the microprocessor combines the corresponding consonant with a diphthong, judging whether the character according to the user'"'"'s manipulation is a complete type Hangeul character, and if the complete type Hangeul is possible, displaying it on the screen;

(3-7) if the character according to the user'"'"'s manipulation is not the complete type Hangeul character as a result of judgment in the step (3-6), the microprocessor outputting the corresponding consonants only and displaying it on the screen;

(3-8) if the specified block is not selected as a result of judgment in the step (3-6), the microprocessor judging whether the stationary block activated in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body is selected;

(3-9) if the activated stationary block is selected, the microprocessor recognizing the vowel allocated to the activated stationary block in a moving direction of the block body, and then repeatedly performing the step (3-5) and the following steps;

(3-10) if the activated stationary block is not selected, the microprocessor combining the corresponding consonant with the corresponding to vowel, and then repeatedly performing the step (3-6) and the following steps;

(3-11) if the specified vowel of the stationary block allocated to the respective moving directions is not selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of the step (3-4), the microprocessor judging whether the corresponding block is manipulated long in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation;

(3-12) if the corresponding block is manipulated long in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation, the microprocessor recognizing the corresponding consonant as a fortis, and repeatedly performing the step (3-3) and the following steps; and

(3-13) if the corresponding block is not manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (3-11), the microprocessor outputting the corresponding consonant to display it on the screen, and repeatedly performing the step (3-3)_and the following steps.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step (4) comprises:

(4-1) if the user selects the Roman character input mode as a result of judgment in the step (2), the microprocessor of the communication terminal changing the present mode to the Roman character input mode, and then judging whether the user touches a menu manipulation to select the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

by moving the block body in upper, lower, left and right directions;

(4-2) if the user selects the menu as a result of judgment in the step (4-1), the microprocessor performing the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

selected by the user, and then repeatedly performing the step (4-1) and the following steps;

(4 -3) if the user does not select the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

as a result of judgment in the step (4-1), the microprocessor judging whether the users manipulates the plurality of blocks provided on the block body, and if the specified block provided on the block body is manipulated by the user, the microprocessor judging whether the specified vowel allocated to the stationary block in the respective directions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body;

(4-4) if the user inputs a consonant or vowel by performing a face junction manipulation of the plurality of blocks provided on the block body and/or the stationary block for moving the block body in upper, lower, left, right and diagonal directions as a result of judgment in the step (4-3), the microprocessor confirming the input of the consonant/vowel inputted by the user in response to a manipulation signal inputted from the block manipulation recognition unit and/or stationary block manipulation recognition unit;

(4-5) if the specified vowel allocated to the stationary block of the respective moving directions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of judgment in the step(4-4), the microprocessor judging whether the corresponding block is manipulated by the user long;

(4 -6) if the corresponding block is manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (4-5), the microprocessor converting the present mode into a capital/small letter mode of the corresponding block, and judging whether the activated stationary block is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the stationary block;

(4-7) if the corresponding block is not manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (4-5), the microprocessor judging whether the activated stationary block is selected;

(4-8) the microprocessor recognizing the vowel allocated to the stationary block activated in a moving direction of the block body, and if the activated stationary block is selected, the microprocessor combining the corresponding consonant with first and second vowels;

(4-9) if the activated stationary block is not selected as a result of judgment in the step (4-7), the microprocessor combining the corresponding consonant and vowel, and displaying it on the screen;

(4-10) if the specified vowel of the stationary block allocated to the respective moving directions is not selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of judgment in the step (4-4), the microprocessor judging whether the corresponding block is manipulated long in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation;

(4-11) if the corresponding block is manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (4-10), the microprocessor converting the present mode into a capital/small letter mode of the corresponding block, and then repeatedly performing the step (4-4) and the following steps; and

(4-12) if the corresponding block is not manipulated long, the microprocessor outputting the corresponding Roman character, displaying it on the screen, and repeatedly performing the step (4-3) and the following steps.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step (5 ) comprises:

(5-1) if the user selects the Japanese character input mode as a result of judgment in the step (2 ), the microprocessor of the communication terminal converting the present mode to the Japanese character input mode to maintain the Japanese character input standby state, and after the user touches the menu manipulation, the microprocessor judging whether the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

is selected by moving the block body in upper, lower, left and right directions;

(5-2) if the user manipulates the menu as a result of judgment in the step (5-1), the microprocessor performing the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

selected by the user, and repeatedly performing the step (5-1) and the following steps;

(5-3) if the user does not select the menu of ‘

delete, space bar, numeral/symbol input, or enter’

as a result of judgment in the step (5-1), the microprocessor judging whether the user manipulates the plurality of blocks provided on the block body, and if the specified block provided on the block body is manipulated by the user, the microprocessor judging whether dan, dan, dan, dan, and a transforming function symbol allocated to the stationary block of the respective moving directions are selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation;

(5-4) if the Japanese is selected by performing the face junction manipulation of the plurality of blocks provided on the block body or the stationary block through movement of the block body in upper, lower, left, right and diagonal directions as a result of judgment in the step (5-3), the microprocessor confirming the input of the corresponding dan inputted by the corresponding user or the input of symbol combination into the dan based on the manipulation signal inputted from the block manipulation cognition unit and/or stationary block manipulation cognition unit;

(5-5) if the input of the corresponding dan allocated to the stationary block in the respective moving directions and the input of symbol combination into the dan are selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of judgment in the step (5-4), the microprocessor judging whether the corresponding block is manipulated long by the user;

(5-6) if the corresponding block is manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (5-5), the microprocessor converting hiragana/katakana of the corresponding block into a Chinese character and recognizes it, and after the Chinese character is selected by the touch manipulation of the user, the microprocessor judging whether the stationary block activated by the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body is selected;

(5-7) if the corresponding block is not manipulated long as a result of judgment in the step (5-5), the microprocessor judging whether the activated stationary block is not selected;

(5-8) the microprocessor recognizing the converting function symbol allocated to the stationary block which is activated in the corresponding moving direction of the block body, and if the activated stationary block is selected, the microprocessor performing the converting function of the specified dan of the corresponding gyo;

(5-9) if the activated stationary block is not selected, the microprocessor outputting the corresponding dan, performing the dan converting function, and displaying it on the screen;

(5-10) if the input of the corresponding dan allocated to the stationary block in the respective moving directions and the input of symbol combination into the dan are not selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation of the block body as a result of judgment in the step (5-4), the microprocessor judging whether the corresponding block is manipulated long by the user;

(5-11) if the corresponding block is manipulated long in accordance with the user'"'"'s manipulation, the microprocessor converting hiragana/katakana of the corresponding block into a Chinese character, selecting the Chinese character in accordance with the user'"'"'s touch manipulation, and repeatedly performing the step 5-4 and the following steps; and

(5-12) if the corresponding block is not manipulated long, the microprocessor outputting the corresponding Japanese, displaying it on the screen, and repeatedly performing the step (5-3) and the following steps.